This month marks the 70th anniversary of the end of the Warsaw Uprising. By the summer of 1944 the tide of the Second World War had turned. The Soviets, now Allies, had reversed the German advance, and France was fighting towards liberation. Sensing change, the Polish government-in-exile authorized their highly organised resistance ‘Home Army’ to rise up against the extremely brutal Nazi forces occupying their capital.
On the 1st August thousands of Polish men, women and children launched a coordinated attack. The Poles had faced invasion on two fronts at the start of the war, and were well aware of the dual threat to their independence. Their aim now was to liberate Warsaw from the Nazis so that they could welcome the advancing Soviet Army as free, or at least fighting, citizens. Moscow radio had appealed to the Poles to take action, but the Red Army then deliberately waited within hearing distance for the ensuing conflict to decimate the Polish resistance before making their own entry. The Warsaw Uprising is remembered as one of the most courageous resistance actions of the Second World War, but also…
Continue: The History Girls: Women of the Warsaw Uprising, by Clare Mulley.
The Museum of the Uprising in Warsaw is amazing
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I’m sure. I hope sometime I can get over to Poland.
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They were very helpful with my family research too
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Ah, bless ’em. I have to head to Russia and Finland going by my DNA results. Otherwise, I’m relentlessly British!
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ah you have done that too! LOL my grandfather was polish, came here 1939, went back after the war
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How interesting that he went back. So many didn’t.
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he had another family!
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Looking forward to hearing about Russia / Finland BTW – I can guess what genetics that is too
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his nephew (??) was a bit of an uprising hero
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https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Antoni_Roma%C5%84czyk
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Fascinating. Would you fancy writing a post about him for FNH?
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it’s awkward with my cousin
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Also I have over 1000 pages of typed research on his life….
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oh Jan you mean – that would be OK
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Indeed I do mean Jan. No problem if not. It just occurred to me it would be much more interesting than reblogging Wikipedia!
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ok – remind me in a couple of weeks
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A truly inspiring tale of a hopeless battle against overwhelming odds. Anyone interested might like this famous Polish film trilogy about those events.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Andrzej-Wajda-War-Trilogy/dp/B00166MB72
I can recommend them, whether seen as a complete work, or each film on its own merits.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Indeed, Pete. Thank you for the recommendations which have to go on my list right now! (WP doesn’t know what it’s doing at the moment – I had to approve this comment.)
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Thanks Sarah, I suspect it was the Amazon link that caused it to be sent for ‘approval’. That has happened to me previously.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Amazing story – I went over to the History Girls and I cannot imagine what it must have been like for those 63 days. Have a lovely day Sarah…
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Those women are so inspiring and to think they were so young. They are a lesson to us all. Thank you for visiting and commenting. Happy Sunday, Sally!
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